Check or coin controlled apparatus.



PATBNTED JULY 18, 1905.

J. L. MOCULLOUGH. CHECK 0R GOIN CONTROLLED APPARTUS.

PPLIUATIoN FILED AUG.19,1904.

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No. 795,052. 'PATBNTBD JULY 1a', 1905. v J. L. MOGULLOUGH.

GHEGK 0R com coNTRoLLED APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 19,1904.

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kkhe UNITED STATES Patented July 18, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. MCCULLOUGH,OF NEW YORK, N.- Y., ASSIGNOR TO AUTOMATIC TARGET MACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

CHECK OR COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming partvof Letters Patent No. 795,052, dated July 18, 1905.

Application filed August 19, 1904. Serial No. 221,409.

To fr/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN L. McCULLoUeH, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check or Coin Controlled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of coin or check controlled devices wherein an operating-lever is employed to do some work and the insertion of a check or coin is essential to compel the said lever to engage the partto be operated. So far as the present invention is concerned it is not at all important what the lever operates nor to what sort of machine the coin-controlled device is applied. The invention shown vrelates solely to the check or coin controlled device itself. In my pending application, Serial No. 213,672, filed June 22, 1904, this device is partially illustrated and described vin connection with a target apparatus, but not claimed.

The invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying1 drawings, its special characteristics pointed out, and its novel features carefully defined in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with its parts in their normal condition, the inclosing casing being in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a front elevation with the casing and operating-lever in section. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the operating-lever depressed and the coin-chute in vertical section at m3 in Fig. 4. Fig. i is a horizontal section taken substantially at line fr* in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3, but showing coin cin Figs. 1 and 5 is inserted in the slot and passes down the chute it will compel the operating-lever when depressed to engage and actuate the movable part E.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide means whereby when the lever shall be depressed to a certain extent the coin-slot will be closed, the chute expanded or opened laterally, and the coin stop or support withdrawn, so that the coin will fall out below and the insertion of a coin be prevented while the lever is depressed.

The operating-lever D is fulcrumed at 1 on a boss 2, forming a part of the casing, and has a curved shield 3, which keeps the slot in the casing closed at all times against the insertion of tools or instruments. In a groove 4 in the lever D is slidably mounted an actuating-arm 5, which is retained in its groove or guide by a slotted plate 6. To this arm 5- is connected one end of a retracting-spring 7, which tends to draw in the sliding arm. A spring 8 holds the lever D in the normal elevated position. (Seen in Fig. 1.) On the end of the arm 5 is a hook 9 to engage a stud 10 on the rocker E and a cam-face 11, which when the lever is held in its normal position by the relatively strong spring 8 is applied to a cam-face 12 on a stud or projecting part 13 on the casing. The operation of these features is as follows:

When the lever D is drawn up by its spring 8, the head of the arm 5 is pressed down on the stud 13 in such a manner that the camfaces v11 and 12 engage, and the latter draws out the arm 5 until its hook 9 is projected far enough to engage the stud 10 (on E) when the lever D is depressed; but obviously if there is nothing to prevent it the arm 5 will be retracted by .its spring 7 as soon as it rises free from the stud 13 and will thus miss the stud 10, and this will happen whenever there is no check or coin in the chute B. When a coin c is inserted, it descends in the chute until it reaches a support or stop 14, to be more particularly described hereinafter, and interposed edgewise between a wall of the chute and a laterally-projecting stud 15 on the slidable arm 5. This stud 15 is so placed that when the arm 5 is projected to its full extent-as in Fig. 5, for example-it will be alined with the fulcrum 1 of the lever D, whereby the rocking of said lever on its fulcrum does not alter the position of the stud 15. The coin c descends so far that the stud 15 bears on its edge just above the center of the coin. Now if the lever D be depressed the arm 5 will rise and its hook 9 will engage the stud 10 and operate the rocker E, as shown in Fig. 8; but as the lever D descends it withdraws the stop or support 14, expands the coin-chute laterally, and allows the coin to fall out of the chute below. These devices will now be described.

The coin-chute (designated as a whole by B) consists of a fixed trough-like upright member 16 (best seen in the sectional plan, Fig. 4) and an upright movable side or member 17, which fits freely between the sides of the member 16. In Fig. 4, s designates the space in the coin-chute down which the coin slides, the full lines showing this space expanded.

It may be explained, primarily, that the member or side 17 has both an up-and-down (or endwise) and a lateral or sidewise motion. On the sides of the member 16 below are pivotally mounted two links 18 18, in which is secured a journal-pin 19, which has al bearing in a boss 2O on the movable side or member 17, and above are two similar links 18 18, provided with a journal-pin 19, havinga bearing in a boss 20 on the member 17. By rocking the links 18 on their pivots the member 17 is moved in and out laterally, as well as up and down. On one of the lower links 18 is an arm 21, which projects, Figs. 2 and 8, into the path of the descending lever D, whereby the latter at a certairnpoint in its movement impinges on said arm 21, and thus through the links 18 18 imparts the desired shifting movement to the member 17.

On the sides of the element 16 of thechute is pivotally mounted a U-shaped rocker 22, which carries the coin-support 14. By rocking this device 22 the nose of the support may be made to protrude through an aperture in the wall of the coin-chute, so as to form a stop for the coin or be withdrawn to allow the coin to fall. The support 14 is in the form of an upright arm with a nose to form the support proper. Itis seen in Fig. 6 most clearly. The rocker 22 has aslotted arm 23, the slot in which is engaged by the projecting end of the journalpin 19, whereby the latter imparts the proper rocking movement to the rocker 22.

At the upper end of the coin-chute is provided the shield which closes the coin-slot C when the lever D is depressed. This shield 24 (see Figs. 1, 2, and 7) plays between the vupper end of the coin-chute and the slot in the casing, and consists of a plate with pendent arms 24, pivoted at 25 on the respective sides of the member 16 of the chute. One of said arms, where it extends beyond the pivot-point, is secured to a light spring 26, which tends to hold the'shield in its closing position, (seen in Fig. 7;) but the extension on the other arm 24 engages a stud 27v on one of the upper links 18, (see Fig. 2,) and this stud by overcoming the light spring 26 holds the shield normally in its inoperative position. When the lever D is depressed and the link 18 is thereby shifted, the stud 27 moves away and allows the spring 26 to move the shield 24 to its operative position. There is or may be cushion-springs 28 formed on the respective arms 24 to impinge on studs 29 when the shield moves to its inoperative position and also studs or detents 30 to limit the movement of the shield in the opposite direction. This wicket device prevents the insertion of a coin while the lever is being depressed.

It may be explained here that the coin-chute as described is designed to facilitate removing therefrom any foreign substances that may be inserted in it. The expansion of the channel in the chute and the movement up and down of the side or member 17 tend to free the chute by opening a free passage, and the operation of the pairs of links 18 and 18 causes the member 17 to move out a little farther at the bottom than at the top, so as to produce a slightly-flared passage to assist gravity in removing obstacles. In other words, the movement of the member 17 will not be quite a parallel movement. After the lever D is freed the weight of the side or member 17 returns it and the connected parts to their normal positions. The attendant may also clean out all obstacles from the coin-chute in this way: He presses down the operating-lever D to its full extent, thus laterally widening the chute B and withdrawing the coinsupport 14, and then while the lever is so depressed he may with a suitable pointed instrument move the shield or wicket 24 to one side and push a suitable cleaning-blade down through the straight coin-chute. This will remove anything lodged there. The chute and parts have been described as in the positions illustrated with respect to horizontal and vertical planes; but this is not essential to the invention.

When the operating-lever D is elevated by its spring, the side or element 17 of the coinchute returns to its normal position, thus returning all the parts connected with it or on which it acts. This may be effected by gravity or weight of the parts; but it is preferred to employ as an agent a retracting-spring 33, connected with the bottom of the side 17, as seen in the several figures.

There is or may be on the side of the slid- 130 IIO ing arm 5 a projecting stud 31, which when there is no coin in the chute and the operating-lever is depressed may impinge upon and ride over a fixed cam 32, thus drawing out the 'arm 5 far enough to remove the stud 15 from the passage through the coin-chute and leave the latter open and clear. The said chute is cut away at the side, Fig. 4, to let the stud 15 enter. The hook 9 on the end of the arm-5 is not absolutely essential to this invention; but it is preferred where the arm is to engage the stud 10.

It may be explained that in Fig. 1, Gr designates a spring which returns the rocker E to the stop H.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A check or coin controlled device, having a coin-chute which is always closed at its sides and is capable of slight lateral enlargement, said chute consisting of' a fixed member, a movable member, and means which couple said members together at two points in the length of the chute, operating means, and mechanism actuated by said operating means for effecting said lateral enlargement.

2. A check or coin controlled device, having a coin-chute composed of a trough-like fixed member and a movable side or member, the links and journal-pins coupling said members, the arm 21 on one of said links, and the operating-lever adapted to impinge on the arm 21.

A check or coin controlled device, having a coin-chute composed of a fixed member and a movable member for expanding the chute, means coupling the said members together near their upper and lower ends, a coin-support carried by said lower coupling means and extending normally into the chute through one of said members of the chute, an operating-lever, and means whereby the said operating-lever simultaneously expands the chute and withdraws said support.

4. A check or coin controlled device, having an operating-lever, a coin-chute comprising a fixed member 16 and a movable side or member 17, the links and journal-pins connecting said members, the arm 21 on one of said links, and projecting into the path of the operating-lever, the rocker 22, provided with an arm 23 having a slot. engaged by one of said journal-pins, and the coin-support 14, carried by the rocker 22 and having a nose which projects normally into the coin-slot` 5. A check or coin controlled apparatus, having a casing with a slot in it for the insertion of a coin, an upright coin-chute in said casing with its upper end disposed adjacent to said slot so as to receive a coin therefrom, said chute having' a fixed member 16 and a movable member 17, links 18 which couple the members together near their upper ends, a pin 27 in one of said links, a shield 24 to interpose between the upper end of said chute and the coin-slot, said shield being provided with pendent arms 24a, pivotally connected with the fixed member of lthe chute so that the shield may be shifted, a spring 26 which tends to maintain the shield in operative position over the mouth of the coin-chute, and said pin 27 disposed to impinge upon an arm of the shield and hold the latter normally in its inoperative position, and means for elevating the member 17 and link 18a and l thereby displacing the pin so that the shield may be moved into its operative position.

6. A coin or check controlled device, having a coin-chute, a movable coin-support in said chute, an operating-lever having mounted in it a slidable arm 5, with its spring 7 said arm 5 having a stud 15 to bear on the coin ini the chute, and also a cani-face 11, a fixed part 13, having a cam-face 12 engaged normally by the face 11, the spring of the operating-lever, and means between the operating-lever and the coin-support through which the former displaces the latter.

7. A check or coin controlled device, having an operating-lever provided with a sliding arm, and a spring tending to retract or draw in lsaid arm, and means for protruding or drawing out said arm to a limited extent when the operating-lever returns to its normal position.

8. A check or coin controlled device, having a coin-chute, a movable coin-support to sustain the coin therein, an operating-lever fulcrumed adjacent to said chute, the spring for returning said lever to its normal position after depression, the arm 21 in the path of said lever, mechanism between said arm and the coin-support through which the operating-lever displaces the latter, a sliding arm 5 mounted in the operating-lever and forming a variable extension thereof beyond the fulcrum, the spring whichtends to draw in the arm 5, the stud 15 on the arm 5, which is adapted to bear on a coin in the chute and thus maintain the arm protruded while the lever is being depressed, and means substantially as described for drawing out said arm` when the operating-lever returns to its normal position of rest.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 16th day of August, 1904, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN L. MCCULLOUGH.

Vitnesses:

HENRY CoNNE'r'r, BENJAMIN H. HoL'r.

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